Many top pediatricians are now recommending wider cholesterol screening for children and more aggressive use of cholesterol-lowering drugs starting as early as the age of 8 in hopes of preventing adult heart problems. Some people may worry that putting kids that young on cholesterol-lowering medication is overkill, but doctors like Dr. Irwin Benuck, the attending pediatrician at Children’s Memorial Hospital, say that a more aggressive approach to fighting high cholesterol is needed.

Something must be done now about the childhood obesity epidemic, because high cholesterol levels are being found in younger and younger children, says Dr. Benuck, who also is an expert on cardiovascular risks in children and is a part of the Pediatric Cardiovascular Risk Reduction Initiative by the National Heart Blood and Lung Institute.

“One out of three kids is overweight or obese and we are seeing high cholesterol levels in children as young as two,” says Benuck. “This puts them at risk as adults.”

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that overweight children have a 70% chance of being overweight adults - adults at a higher risk for heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and some forms of cancer. Even more alarming is that some kids do not have to wait until they are adults to pay the price.

“Right now screening children is done based on family history, but that will change by the end of this year,” says Benuck. “There are also new guidelines being set by the American Academy of Pediatrics calling for a change from whole milk to reduced-fat milk by age one.”

Studies now show that preventing coronary heart disease can begin as early as three and four years of age. It is during these years that primary intervention may be the most effective. Recent research is showing that cholesterol-fighting medication is both effective and generally safe for children opening up a whole new line of defense against high cholesterol.

Cholesterol-lowering medication is not being recommended for all kids with high cholesterol, says Benuck. The recommendation for its use is targeting a very small percentage of kids, about 1 in 500. These are kids at least 8 years old who have too much LDL, the “bad” cholesterol, along with other risky conditions, including obesity and high blood pressure. Benuck says that these are kid with a genetic predisposition for high LDL. And, even in these cases, medication would only be used as the last line of defense when other attempts such as healthy lifestyle, good nutrition and regular exercise have failed.

Creating a Healthy Lifestyle – It Starts With You

Childhood obesity is not a child’s problem – it is a family’s problem. Many children who have problems with their weight have at least one parent who has a weight problem. And, even if the child in the family is the only one overweight, that doesn’t mean the rest are any healthier. Chances are what the child is eating – so is the rest o the family. Take the time to take a good look at your family’s diet and exercise habits. Even minor adjustments can have big results. Here are a few tips:

Don’t use food as bribes, rewards or for comfort: Kids eat because they are bored, depressed, happy, tired, because the TV is on. Kids were not born this way. These are learned behaviors. Kids are taught to ignore the body’s natural cues for hunger and instead connect food with emotion, environment or certain activities.

Don’t assume schools lunches are healthy: Yes, schools are required to serve from the four food groups. But the healthiest choices of those food groups are not always the ones on the menu. Chicken nuggets (meat), French fries (vegetable), a fruit cup loaded with fructose (fruit) and a chocolate milk (dairy) does not add up to a healthy lunch.

Don’t think that gym class or organized sports keeps the kids “active”: A study on teens and gym class, done by Cornell University in New York, showed that teens are only active for about 16 minutes of a typical gym class. The rest of the time they are just standing around learning the rules of the game or in an outfield waiting for the ball to come their way. Gym class games and team sports just don’t require the constant movement needed to get the heart rate up.

Don’t assume your child will make the right choices: even if the right choices are there. Remember, it is the parents that stock the refrigerator and the cabinets. Given the choice a bag of chip or a bag of carrot sticks and your teen will likely go for the chips. Keep all choices healthy and your kids can’t go wrong.

Don’t expect them to be health conscious if you aren’t: If you expect your children to get active, eat more fruits and vegetables and less chips and junk food you’d better be willing to do it yourself. Kids are more likely to copy what they see day after day rather than what they hear.